Jordon Hudson appeared to exert significant influence over Bill Belichick’s media projects before his hired as North Carolina’s football coach in December.
That’s one takeaway from the latest episode of sports journalist Pablo Torre’s podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” which includes leaked footage of Hudson on the set of Belichick’s 2024 show called “Coach with Bill Belichick.”
Hudson, 24, and Belichick, 73, have been dating for several years. Belichick said previously that the pair has a personal and professional relationship and that “Jordon assists me with my personal media.”
Belichick, who won six Super Bowls as head coach of the NFL’s New England Patriots, wasn’t coaching during the 2024 season. He appeared on numerous football shows, including one of his own.
Hudson filed a trademark in Massachusetts for Coach Show LLP in November 2024, which was described as “a video podcast show which handles all of its own production costs.” Hudson referred to herself as the Chief Operating Officer of Belichick Productions in one email obtained by WRAL.
The show featured Belichick, current UNC general manager Michael Lombardi and current Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia discussing NFL topics of the week and breaking down weekly matchups. The show was filmed at NFL Films studios in New Jersey.
In the footage, Hudson was critical of the graphics being used on the show. She and Belichick are also caught on a hot microphone disparaging the production of the program.
“She has a very clear view of what her job was and everyone else was like I suddenly woke up one day and realized I’m working for Jordon Hudson,” Torre said on the podcast.
Hudson didn’t immediately respond to an email from WRAL about her role on Belichick’s show.
North Carolina hired Belichick in December to elevate its football program to national prominence. Early in his tenure, he asked that Hudson be included on emails to him from school officials. Belichick later said it was to help him with scheduling at a time when he first arrived at UNC without support staff.
Hudson emailed athletics department administrators, hoping to help shape the way the hiring of Steve Belichick, Bill’s son, was portrayed. She also questioned why negative remarks about Belichick were not deleted from the comments on UNC football social media posts, emails show.
Hudson made national news in April when she interrupted a CBS interview with Belichick over a question about how the couple met. CBS aired Hudson’s comments – “We’re not talking about this.” – as part of its story on Belichick.
Torre earlier reported that Hudson was banned from the UNC football facilities, which the school denied. On Friday’s episode, Torre said it was Lombardi who had told others about the ban. Hudson wore a necklace that read “banned” to the Tar Heels’ first game of the season, a 48-14 loss to TCU.
Torre described fraught personal dynamics around Belichick with Lombardi and Hudson each holding enormous influence with the coach.
Hudson is not employed by the school. Belichick wrote in April that “Jordon has zero involvement in the UNC football program, beyond the degree that my personal media intersects with it.”
Lombardi signed a three-year, $4.5-million contract to be the team’s general manager. Weeks before the season opener, Lombardi traveled to Saudi Arabia on an exploratory fundraising trip, UNC confirmed to WRAL after Torre’s initial report.
A university spokesman said that Lombardi’s trip was at the invitation and cost of a Saudi national who is a college football fan and is interested in supporting Belichick. The spokesman said that Lombardi didn’t meet with the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which it uses to sponsor projects abroad, and that the PIF didn’t invest in UNC.
The Saudis have made a huge splash in sports with big investments in golf, soccer and other ventures. College athletics is looking for new sources of revenue to keep up with soaring costs, including direct revenue sharing with players. The need for additional money has led some programs and conferences to consider private equity or private capital.
WRAL reported last week that players and parents blame Belichick’s culture for the team’s problems. Sources told WRAL about a divided locker room, a disorganized coaching staff and a failure to communicate. UNC is 2-3 and has suffered three big losses in its only games against teams from Power 4 conferences. UNC has been outscored 120-33 in those three games.
On Monday, Belichick refuted reports that he was seeking a buyout from his five-year, $50-million contract with UNC.
“It’s a learning curve,” said Belichick, who has never coached in college previously. “We’re all in it together, but we’re making a lot of progress and the process will eventually produce the results that we want to produce, like they have everywhere else I’ve been.”